really too bad," the stout man exclaimed; "for you are just
one week too late!"

"Has he left Sempst, then?" asked Merritt sturdily.

"Just seven days ago he shook hands with me, and said I could look for
him when I saw him again. That might be in a month, and it might be six,
even Steven could not say. He simply had to obey his orders from his
superiors. His interest in the works is not the only thing he follows,
you understand."

"No," said Rob, mysteriously, looking carefully around, as though he
wanted to make sure he was not overheard, "of course we know his other
business. The General Staff has ordered him again on duty somewhere. It
is too bad, because my friend here wishes to see Herr Meredith very
much, indeed."

"I am sorry," remarked the stout man, in a hesitating way, and Rob knew
that if he hoped to get any information from this source at all now was
the time to strike--while the iron was hot.

"You say you are grateful, sir," he hurriedly whispered, "because we
happened to save your little girl's life, or at least kept her from
being badly injured. We would call the debt canceled if you could tell
us where we can find Herr Meredith. If he is in France, tell us where."

The man did not immediately reply. His face was a study. He was
undoubtedly being torn between gratitude and devotion to the interests
of his emperor, whom he would have died to serve, no doubt.

"If I could only be sure it was right for me to give you that
information," Rob heard him mutter, and he hastened to follow up his
attack.

"I give you my word of honor, Herr Haskins," he said earnestly and
convincingly, "that none of us has the slightest intention to betray
Steven Meredith to his enemies. If you write down the information we
need, we solemnly promise you not to use it to his injury. My friend
only wants to get a small thing Herr Meredith has with him, although he
himself does not know it is in his possession, for it was all a mistake
about his taking it. He will be only too glad to give it to us, and we
shall trouble him no more. Won't you take our word of honor, sir?"

The big man looked down at his child, and that must have decided him.

"Come home with me, and spend the night," he said in a hospitable way.
"We will entertain you the best we can under the peculiar conditions
existing here. If you care to, you can tell me all about yourselves; and
I promise you that before you go to sleep this night I will place in
you